Pooja Kohli was born and raised in New Delhi on a steady diet of Bollywood films, bhangra music and spicy chaat. The riot of sounds, smells and colors that surrounded her, nurtured her artistic temperament at a very early age. After graduating with top honors she dabbled in event management and fashion design before she fell in love with filmmaking. At the age of 20, she was a well-known face on Indian National Television and hosted a variety of Entertainment shows. Somehow the glamour of tinsel town failed to satisfy the artist within and at the restless age of 22 she achieved what most filmmakers can only dream of - a collaboration with Iran TV led to a 13-episode documentary series on Shia Muslims (Shiya-Ya-Ne-Hind), which she directed, produced, researched and then sold to Zee TV in the UK. The documentary was nominated at the Next Frame Film Festival and she spent many months traveling across India shooting Moharram. This early success encouraged her to further her knowledge and she studied filmmaking in London, before procuring a Masters in Visual Media Arts from Emerson College, Boston. A deep interest in the technical aspects of the media world allowed her to explore and move with ease from shooting real life documentaries and hard news episodes with CNN, to riding the dotcom wave in digital design and web product development. Since her graduation, Pooja has been working with IFP/New York, an advocate for independent filmmakers. Interacting with talented filmmakers and being exposed to a vibrant media community keeps her happy in her day job, which is Managing Director for the IFP Market & Conference but her real mission is to give voice to the diaspora of South Asian filmmakers.
Her absolute dedication to give voice to the Diaspora of the South Asian Filmmakers has made her well known amongst the South Asian community and she is an active member of almost every prominent South Asian creative group from SAJA to SAWCC, where she also served as a board member. Her expertise and experience in the field make her an invaluable asset to the South Asian community and amongst her many achievements, she also wears the hat of Festival Director for the Indo-American Arts Council, where she manages the programming and production for the Indian Film Festival.
Pooja currently resides in New Jersey with her husband. When her hectic schedule permits, she enjoys adventure sports, has a passion for breeding Betta fish and a fatal addiction to art. |
